Furnace construction



Dec. 7, 1937. c. H. wlsE 2,101,786

FURNAGE lCONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 25, v1936 Patented iDec. 7, w3?

PATENT FURNACE CONSTRUCTON Charles H. Wise, Hartford, Conn., assigner to Hartford-Empire Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application llaniiary 25, 1936, Serial No. 60,834

9 Claims.

This invention relates to furnace construction including the structure of a furnace and its supports broadly and also a novel method of building up a furnace, the supports therefor and the preparation of the structure for its operation.

In the past furnaces, particularly those including one or more arches wherein the lateral thrust of the arch or arches is supported by buckstays connected at the top or top and bottom by tie rods, have been constructed using tie rods rigidly secured to the buckstays, as by the use of a washer or other suitable abutment adjacent to the buckstays, held in place by a nut or nuts threaded on the tie rods. It has also been proposed to interpose some resilient means, asa spring, intermediate the tie rods and the buckstays to provide a resilient connection between these elements, which will yield upon the expansion of the furnace when it is heated, and will contract with the furnace as it cools.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide an arrangement by which a yielding connection, such as one or more springs, may' beemployed between the tie rods and buckstays of a furnace and wherein there is in addition optionally usable means by which these elements may be rigidly connected together for use' either during the initial construction of the furnace or when it is desired to remove one or more of the springs for testing, replacement or repair.

Among the further objects of the invention is the provision of a construction or yconnection between tie rods and buckstays for use in furnace structures, as above set forth, and wherein specifically there are a plurality of springs used in connecting at least one end of each tie rod to its associated buckstay, so arranged that similar springs will be used in a symmetrical arrangement, so that the use of unnecessarily long 40 springs will be obviated, while providing on the 'one hand, the necessary eiective compressive force or tensile strength, and on the other hand, sucient relative movement between the buckstays and tie rods to accommodate the maximum possible expansion and contraction of the furnace.

A further. object of the present invention is to provide a method of .assembling a furnace structure of the character above set forth in which a novel connection may advantageously be employed, including bothresilient and rigid connecting means between the tie rods and the buckstays.

Further and more detailed objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a View principally in vertical transverse section of a furnace construction embody- 5 ing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view principally in elevation showing my novel connection between a tie rod and one of its associated buckstays; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

While I contemplate that my invention may be applied to any type of furnace and specifically those types including an arch structure, the lateral thrust of which is to be carried by the buckstays connected by tie rods, I have chosen to illustrate the invention as applied to a portion of a glass making furnace or tank. It will be understood, however, that the principles of the invention as hereinafter set forth and as claimed in the appended claims are not limited to furnaces used in the making of glass.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly Fig. 1 thereof, I have illustrated a glass making furnace or ytank including a glass-containing basin, generally indicated at i, built up of side walls 2 and a bottom wall 3 and adapted to contain av bath of molten glass 4, which will normally be maintained at a constant predetermined level indicated at 5. Above the glass contacting side walls 2, there are provided upper side Wall portions 6, which may be suitably supported in any desired manner, not specifically illustrated, from buckstays l. It is preferable in a furnace construction of this type that the upper side wall portion 6 be supported from the buckstay 1 independently of the lower or glass-containing wall portions 2. This particular construction will not be further explained in this case as it has per se nothing to do with the present invention.

Intermediate the upper side walls 6 and the lower or glass containing side wall portions 2, are shown the usual tuckstones 8, thus making the joint at this place substantially air-tight.`

Sprung across between the upper portions of the upper side walls 6 is a roof arch generally indicated at 9, which may be covered as shown in the accompanying drawing by a layer ofr insulating material or insulating bricks I0. Thus 50 the lateral thrust of the arch 9 and the insulation I0 thereabove, will be opposed by the buckstays 1, of which a suitable number may be provided along each side wall and also the end walls as in the usual practice." The construction thus far described may be considered to be substantially conventional. v

Connecting the buckstays 1, as shown both at the upper and lower ends thereof, are tie rods Il. It is particularly to the connections between these tierods and the buckstays 1 that' the present invention pertains. Each of the connections between the tie rods and the buckstays preferably is similar to the others, so that only one will be described. It will be understood, however, that if my novel connection be provided at one end only of a tie rod, most of the advantages of the present invention will be attained. This construction is to be considered within the purview of the present invention.

At the right end of the ltie rod Il, as seen'in Figs. 2 and 3, is located a spider I2, which i's formed as' an enlarged head having an opening at its center through which a threaded enlarged portion I4 of the tie rod passes, a nut IB'being s'crewed on the threaded portion I4 on the end of the tie rod. Any suitable means may be employed, however, for connecting the spider I2 to the tie rod I I. The spider I2 is further provided with strengthening ribs I5, which also serve to prevent rotation of the squared heads of a plurality of bolts, including bolts I6, which pass through the space between the channel members of which the buckstays 1 are formed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. On the right hand side of the buckstays1, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, I provide a spring plate I1, which bears against and may or may not be connected to the buckstays and which is provided with suitable apertures through which the bolts I6 freely pass. On the right hand side of the spring plate I1, as seen in Figs'. 2 and 3,

there is provided nuts I8 threaded on the bolts` I6.

When it is desired that the tie rods II be rigidly connected to the buckstays 1, I prefer to interpose blocks I9 between the spider I2vand the buckstays, which block maybe of wood or any other suitable material. Thus when the nuts I8 are tightened against the spring plate I1, the blocks I8 will be squeezed between the spider I2 andthe buckstays, and the tie rod and buckstays rigidly connected together. When, however, itis not desired to use this rigid connection, it is only necessary to back olf the nuts I8 possibly to the inoperative positions shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and remove the blocks I8.

'I'his is the normal position of these parts during Y the normal operation of the furnace, during which time the resilient means presently to be described are employed for connecting the tie rods and buckstays.

'I'he resilient means for effecting this connection include a pair of bolts 20 having squared heads 2 I, which are located between the strengthening ribs I of the spider I2, the bolts 20 passing loosely through apertures in this spider and also through aligned apertures in the spring plate I1. Surrounding the bolts 20 and extending between the spring plate I1 and suitable washers 22 held on the bolts 20 by nuts 23 are helical compression springs 24.

The compression of the springs 24 suitably regulated by adjustment of the nuts 23 Aon the bolts 20. y

When it is desired to construct a furnace utilizing the present invention, the buckstays are lrst erected and rigidly connected together by the tie rods II in the manner above Vdescribed for effecting this rigid connection. I'he furnace proper,l including the bottom and side walls, is then erected in any suitable or conventional manner between the buckstays and a suitable falsework question may permit the blocks I9 to be removed in any con-- ventional manner.

Up to this time, the springs 24 included in the resilient connection between the tie rods and,

buckstays need not even be placed in position, as they could have no function even if they were there. However, prior to starting the heat in the furnace, it is desirable that the buckstays be resiliently connected to the tie rods, so that no attention need be paid to backing off nuts as included in a rigid connection to compensate for the inevitable expansion of the furnace during its heating up period. The bolts 20, springs 24, washers 22, and nuts 23 are therefore placed in position -at this time and the nuts 23 taken up until the compression of the springs 24 exerts sucient tension upon the tie rods to carry the minimum lateral thrust load incident to4 the thrust of the arch 9, and the weight of such structure as may be carried thereby, as the insulating material III. The nuts I8 may then be backed off to theirinoperative positions, shown in dotted lines in Figs..2 and 3, and in full lines in Fig. l, and such .further adjustment niade of the positions of nuts 23 as may be necessary'to give the desired compression to the springs 24 to carry the tension on the tie rods Il.

The springs 24 are so designed both` in number and tension as to permit of the maximum expansion of the furnace parts without exceeding the elastic limit of the springs,l and without too radically changing the tension thereon within the degree of movement apart of the buckstays caused by' the furnace expansion. Should but one spring be used, it would either have to be excessively long or the change in the tension thereof due to the relative movement apart of the buckstays would change the tension on'tlie tie rods by too great an amount.

I prefer, therefore, to provide a plurality of springs', preferably two in the usual case, thus permitting the use Aof lighter springs of a reasonable length. It is contemplatedthat the tenision upon the tie rods will not vchange excessively even without adjustment of the nuts 23 during normal operation or during the change from the conditions with the furnace cold to that Vwith the furnace at its highest normal operating temperature.

If, at any time during the operation of the furnace, it is thought that one or more of the springs have been weakened, as by losing their temper due against the spring plate I1. When this is done, the springs n24 associated with the connection in be removed, inspected, repaired or use of the bloclrs I8, simply by taking up on the nuts I8 until they bear y replaced at will, the original resilient connection being again rendered operative as `soon as possible under ordinary operating conditions and the rigid connection being thrown out of operation by backing off on the nuts I8. .l l

While. I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that many changes may be made therein, including those which will occur to persons skilled in the art from the teaching of the present application, and equivalents may be substituted wherever desired. I do not wish to be limited, therefore, except by the scope of the appended claims, which are to be construed as broadly as the state of the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. A furnace structure, comprising a pair of opposing buckstays, a tie rod therebetween, means providing a resilient connection between said tie rod and at least one of said buckstays, and optionally usable means providing a rigid connection therebetween, all said means being so constructed and arranged as to afford undiminished support to said furnace structure during the transition from said resilient to said rigid connection and vice versa.

2. A furnace structure, -comprising a pair of opposing buckstays, a tie rod therebetween, means including springs interposed between said tie rod and at least one of said buckstays to provide a resilient connection therebetween which will yield upon expansion of the furnace during heating of the same, and optionally usable means providing a rigid connection between said tie rod and at least said one buckstay, all said means being so constructed and arranged as to afford undiminished support to said furnace structure during the transition from said resilient to said rigid connection and vice versa.

3. A furnace structure, comprising a. pair oi' opposing buckstays, a tie rod therebetween, means providing a resilient connection between said tie rod and at least one of said buckstays, optionally usable means providing a rigid connection therebetween, and means for adjustably varying the relation between said tie rod and said one buckstay when they are rigidly connected together by the aforesaid means, all said means being so constructed and arranged as to afford undiminished support to said furnace structure during the transition from said resilient to said rigid connection and vice versa.

4. A furnace structure, comprising a pair of opposing buckstays, a tie rod therebetween, spring means interposed between said tie rod and said buckstays to provide a resilient connection therebetween, optionally usable means providing a rigid connection between said tie rod and said buckstays, and means for adjustably varying the relation between said tie rod and said buckstays when they are rigidly connected to one another, all said means being so constructed and arranged as to afford undiminished support to said furnace structure during the transition from said resilient to said rigid connection and vice versa.

5. A furnace structure, comprising a pair of Aopposing buckstays, a tie rod extending therebetween, a connection between said tie rod and at least one of said buckstays, including a plurality of similar compression springs symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of said tie rod and arranged so that outward pressure exerted on said buckstays will tend to compress said springs,

and optionally usable means providing a rigid.

connection between said tie rod and said one buckstay, the rst named connection and said optionally usable means being so constructed and arranged as to afford undiminished support to said furnace structure during the transition from the resilient support afforded by said springs to said rigid connection and vice versa.

6. A furnace structure, comprising a pair of opposing buckstays, a tie rod extending therebetween, means connecting said tie rod to each ofsaid buckstays, each of said connecting means including a spider secured to an end of said tie rod, a spring plate on the opposite side of the buckstay from said spider, bolts connected to said spider and extending through said spring plate, compression springs surrounding said bolts and bearing against said spring plate, and abutments on said bolts bearing against the opposite ends of said springs, and optionally usable means providing a rigid connection between said tie rod and said buckstays, each such means including other bolts connected to said spider and extending Athrough said spring plate, nuts threaded on said other bolts, and removable blocks adapted to be interposed. between said spider and the opposite side of said buckstays from that in contact with said spring plate;

7. The method of constructing a furnace having an arch, the lateral thrust of which is carried by buckstays connected by tie rods, comprising the steps of erecting the buckstays, connecting them in a rigid manner by tie rods, erecting side walls for the furnace, placing a falsework center between the side walls of the furnace, erecting a furnace arch over the falsework center, removing the falsework center to leave the lateral thrust of the arch supported by the buckstays which are rigidly connected by the tie rods as aforesaid, interposing resilient means between the tie rods and the buckstays in such manner that the resilient means take the load off the rigid connecting means between the tie rods and the buckstays, and so moving the rigid connecting means to inoperative positions to leave the thrust of the arch carried by the buckstays and through the resilient means by the tie rods for normal furnace operation.

8. The method of constructing a furnace having an arch, the lateral thrust of which is carried by buckstays connected by tie rods, comprising the steps of erecting buckstays, connecting lthem rigidly by tie rods, erecting side walls for the furnace, placing a falsework center between the side walls of the furnace, erecting a furnace arch over the falsework center, removing the falsework center to leave the lateral thrust of the arch supported by the buckstayswhich are rigidly con- .nected by the tie rods as aforesaid, interposing spring means between the tie rods and the buckstays in such manner that the spring means are given sufiicient tension just to take the load olf the rigid connecting means intermediate the tie rods and buckstays, and so moving the rigid connecting means to inoperative positions to leave the thrust of the arch carried by the buckstays and through the spring means by the tie rods when the furnace is cold, the spring means being so constructed and arranged that upon expansion of the furnace when it is heated to its normal operating temperature, the spring means may contract within their elastic limit without-the necessity of further adjustments being made in the connection between the tie rods and buckstays.

9. The method of constructing a furnace having an arch, the lateral thrust of which is carried by buckstays connected by tie rods, comprising the steps of erecting buckstays, connecting them rigidly by tie rods and by the interposition of blocks intermediate spiders upon the tie rods and the sides of the buckstays toward the furnace, and nuts threaded onto bolts secured to the tie rods bearing against members on the outside of the buckstays, erecting side walls for the furl nace, placing a falsework center between the side walls of the furnace, erecting a furnace arch over the alsework center, removing the falsework center to leave the lateral thrust of the arch supported by the rigidly connected buckstays.

10 interposing resilient means between the tie rods 

